• Computer glossary - M

    by
    computerguru
    Published on 02-03-2010 06:54 PM

    Mac (Macintosh) — IBM-incompatible personal computer created by the Apple company.

    Macro — a number of instructions set the way a program, e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Access, performs the indicated operations. As the macros are the programs, they can be attacked by a virus. The viruses using macros for infection are called macro viruses.

    Macro virus — a virus infecting a macros in Word documents, Excel sheets, PowerPoint presentations, etc.

    Malware — a term, used in relation to all the programs containing a malicious code (MALicious softWARE), it may be a virus, a Trojan or a worm.

    Map — an action during which to a shared network disk a special letter on the computer is given as if it were just an additional disk connected to this computer.

    MAPI ( Messaging Application Program Interface) — a system responsible for the functioning of the programs of e-mail messages sending and receiving through a certain mail system.

    Mask — 32-bit number, meaning an IP address in a certain network. Enables the TCP/IP protocol to know if the IP address belongs to one network or to another.

    Microprocessor / Processor — the integrated electronic ‘heart’ of a PC or an IT system, foe instance, Pentium, AMD, etc.

    MIDI — synthesized sound format supporting a transmission to the reproducer (sound card) not the exact digital sound image, but a set of commands on playback of a sound with determined frequency and duration by a certain instrument. MIDI-files are compact but the quality of their playback utterly depends on the quality of the sound card synthesizer. The term MIDI is also used for specific devices designed for MIDI-music creation – MIDI keyboard, etc.

    MIME (MultipurposeInternetMailExtensions) — ряд спецификаций, которые позволяют тексту и файлам с разными наборами символов/знаков быть переданными через Интернет (например, между компьютерами на разных языках).

    Modem — a peripheric device, known also as MOdulator-DEModulator, is utilized for electronic signals transmission (analogue and digital). Is designed for provision of communication between PCs and other IT devices. In most cases is used for connecting a computer to the Internet.

    Module — on the language of IT experts it means a set or a group of macros in a Word document or in an Excel sheet, etc.

    Morphing — process of gradual conversion of one graphic image into another.

    Motherboard (Mainboard) — the main PC board all other devices get connected to.

    MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group) — a group of audio/video data compression standard enabling reducing of their size in dozens times in some cases. It is used in VideoCD and DVD.

    MS-DOS (Disk Operating System) — an operating system, the predecessor of Windows, involves inserting of commands for all user operations.

    MSDE (Microsoft Desktop Engine) — a data storage server, compatible with SQL Server 2000.

    MTA (Message Transfer Agent) — an organized mail system receiving messages and sending it to recipients. MTA systems also send messages to other mail servers.

    Multimedia — a hardware compound enabling PCs to handle not only text, but also graphic, sound and video data. Note that only a computer supporting all types of these data (not only sound, for instance) can be called multimedia. Almost all computers are enhanced with multimedia utilities: a drive for CD reading/recording, a sound card, a video card.

    Multipartite — a characteristic of every complex virus type which infects computers using a combination of technologies applied by other viruses as well.

    Mutex (Mutual Exclusion Object) — some viruses can apply the ‘mutual exclusion’ mechanism to control the access to resources and denying simultaneous access to one resource of more than one process. Thus they make their detection by antiviruses harder.